Denver may be bored with this year’s municipal election, which seems to have the pulse of a piece of cold marble. But for those of us who get paid to pay attention, the 2011 campaign has been anything but boring, featuring excitement, humor, sadness and some very strange moments.

Here, less than a week before Tuesday’s ballot count, is a breakdown of the best and worst from this year’s campaign.

Best Mayoral Forum: Candidate Survivor. Hands down. The April 6 forum at Casselman’s was put on by the folks at New Era Colorado, featuring questions posed by a man dressed as a bed bug, drinking among the candidates, crowd-voting by text messaging and, yes, dancing. A crazy night that had Doug Linkhart winning after he threw candies to the crowd and promised to legalize marijuana.

Worst Mayoral Forum:Every other one.

Best Advertisement: Michael Hancock’s “18 miles,” which plays like a mini-movie. Hancock and his son travel from their Far Northeast Denver home early in the morning to East High School. There still are questions about why education has featured so prominently in this election when the mayor has no control over Denver Public Schools.

Worst Advertisement: Carol Boigon’s spots. The first showed the councilwoman flying in an airplane to mimic Hickenlooper’s campaign for two referendums, an obscure nod that only insiders remembered. The second featured her position against pay raises for elected officials, but showed her walking through cutouts of fellow councilors Hancock and Doug Linkhart as well as two who are not on the council — James Mejia and Chris Romer. Her third ad showed her multi-tasking in the kitchen, but political analyst Katy Atkinson pointed out a huge no-no … that Boigon was using a metal spatula on a nonstick surface.

George Karl’s endorsement was one of the most ridiculous moments in this race. Karl traded CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, who was a hometown hero in District 5 and was a major insipiration for many of the kids in the area. Karl might have been doing what was (arguably) best for the Nuggets, but it was detrimental to the district.

The fact that Karl is Steve’s biggest endorsement speaks only to Saunders’ connections in the Denver media. This guy has no business running for office. Who is next, Tom Martino? Ernie Bjorkman??

bill1020

Sorry, Greendaisy, but you’re wrong about Saunders’ qualifications for the job. He’s a Denver native and has been following both state and local politics for a good long time. He’s thoughtful, analytical and I believe him to be someone of remarkable courage and character, someone I’d vote for if I lived in District 5. If you think he has no business running for office you’re talking through your hat.

Best endorsement of the Denver Election Season! Go Big Bro Go! Did you vote yet?

Cwelltaylor

I an impressed with Steve Saunders. He knows
The issues and would make the best decisions for his district.

Michael Singer

For all of her public service feats over the years, you sure skewer Carol Boigon’s credibility. Denver Headstart may mean nothing to you, but it does to lots of struggling parents.

Sometimes I think the reason people loathe politics and politicians is because the media caricatures distinguished people and injects lots and lots of cynicism into the conversation. But, since you’re so on task with providing examples, let me use on to justify my rationale: the best mayoral forum was held at Temple Emanuel. During this forum, the hosts asked the candidates to name the leadership qualities they saw in their competitors. It made the candidates think and respond, rather than quip and cackle.

Seriously, if you think a belching-and-breasts frathouse shoutout to the marijuana advocacy demographic makes a campaign meaningful, then you must not serious about Denver’s residents.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.